The Cincinnati Daily Press was established in 1858 at Cincinnati, the seat of Hamilton County, Ohio, as the Daily Penny Press. With each issue costing only one cent, one-sixth that of a typical newspaper, the Press made news accessible to citizens outside the upper class, such as former slaves, laborers, and immigrants. Cincinnati had seen significant growth since the beginning of the 19th century, due to the introduction of steam navigation on the Ohio River in 1811 and the completion of the Miami and Erie Canal in 1845 which connected the Ohio River in Cincinnati to Lake Erie in Toledo. By the year 1850, Cincinnati’s population had risen to over 115,000, creating a large audience for newspapers. Penny papers appealed to members of lower classes because they were inexpensive. Nor were they commonly associated with any political party. Rather than relying on subscriptions and daily sales, they depended heavily on advertisements for financial support. Penny papers typically provided information not commonly found in the larger papers, focusing heavily on court news and local gossip.

Independent in politics, the Press was published every day but Sunday. It served Cincinnati and the surrounding communities, including Covington and Newport, Kentucky. In February 1859, it changed its name to the Daily Press before it became known as the Penny Press on July 18, 1859. Later, in 1860, the Penny Press changed its title to the Cincinnati Daily Press to coincide with a change in appearance and larger size. The Press was owned by Henry Reed who began the paper with his brother Samuel Rockwell Reed. Henry Reed held a prominent place in Ohio journalism, formerly serving as editor of the Daily Ohio State Journal, the DailyCincinnati Atlas, and the Daily Cincinnati Commercial. Reed described the Press as a paper that included current news, in addition to providing independent commentary and discussion on topics of the day. The paper reported on a variety of subjects, including Washington news and gossip, amusements, army correspondence, and home interests. The Cincinnati Daily Press ceased publication in 1862.